Lighted Tailgate Applique Layout for Wider Rear Visibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current tailgate light bars have limited visibility due to their placement and angle, making it difficult for approaching vehicles to spot trucks, especially at night or in inclement weather, as they are blocked by the tailgate or rear bumper edges, leading to potential accidents.
Innovation Solution
A lighted appliqué is designed to be mounted on automotive body panels, featuring LED strips integrated into the panel contour, providing enhanced visibility through daytime running lights, brake lights, turn signals, and reverse lights, which can be secured using adhesive and display element cutouts, and connected to the vehicle's safety lighting system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a tailgate light bar is installed in the gap between the tailgate and rear bumper, then the lighting function is provided, but the visibility is limited from certain angles due to being blocked by the tailgate or rear bumper edges
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from a horizontal light bar arrangement to a vertical light fixture arrangement on the tailgate. This dimensional change allows the light to be positioned above the blocking edges, providing visibility from multiple angles including side and rear views that were previously blocked by the tailgate or bumper structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system is divided into multiple separate light fixtures rather than a single continuous bar. This segmentation allows individual light elements to be positioned at different vertical locations on the tailgate, creating multiple light sources that can illuminate different angular zones and overcome the blocking effect of the tailgate edges.
2Ease of manufacture
If a traditional tailgate light bar is used, then the installation is simple, but the sight line is blocked by the bottom edge of the tailgate for taller vehicles or the top edge of the rear bumper for shorter vehicles
Solution Approach 1:
The patent moves the light source vertically upward on the tailgate surface, positioning it above the horizontal blocking edges. This vertical repositioning ensures that light from taller vehicles is not blocked by the bottom edge and light from shorter vehicles is not blocked by the top edge of the bumper, achieving universal visibility across different vehicle heights.
3Shape
If vertical taillights are used instead of horizontal, then the vehicle design is achieved, but they are thinner and harder to spot
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enhances the vertical taillight design by incorporating multiple light-emitting elements at different vertical positions on the tailgate. This creates localized high-visibility zones that maintain the vertical orientation required by vehicle design while increasing overall detectability through distributed light sources that are harder to miss than a single thin vertical strip.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution significantly improves vehicle visibility and safety by eliminating the limitations of traditional tailgate light bars, ensuring better recognition from all angles and heights, reducing the risk of accidents.
Implementation Method 1
At least one LED strip is mounted within the at least one LED strip channel... Activation of the LED strip illuminates the non-opaque display element
Data Source
AI summary
A lighted applique for a vehicle body panel including an opaque body panel applique and one or more display element cutouts each having a cutout profile formed in the opaque body panel applique. At least one non-opaque display element is mounted within the one or more display element cutouts such that a panel engagement surface is in contact with a panel exterior surface. At least one LED strip is mounted within the at least one LED strip channel and an electrical connection assembly is in communication with the at least one LED strip.